Chilling dispenser



May 30, 1933.

T.f A. PRENDERGAST `GHILLING DISPENSER l Filed April 50 INVENToR. WomansA. Freno/@gast ATTORNEYS Patented May 30, 1933 Tnomas A. PnENnE'nGAsT.or nETnorr, MIcHIeAN cantine DISPENSER.

,Application led April 30,

My invention relates to a dispensing container for use in merchandisingarticles and has particular reference to a dispenser which isadaptedifor use with various edible ina- 5 terials which must bemaintained at a low temperature for a considerable period of time.

The distribution and sale of varied sorts of `food products on a largescale among large gatherings of people has become prevalent, as ismanifested by the ballyhooing of the sales boys atfootball games,baseball l'lh games, and numerous other events which interest a largenumber of people. A great many of these food articles which are so soldand distributed throughout crowds necessitate that they be chilledto yatleast a certain extent when they reach the hands of the. customer andfor that reason it haslbeen somewhat dicult to vend the articles tor anylength of time throughout the crowd without returning to the source ofsupply for a freshly chilled supply of the articles. Soda pop7 Eskimopies, and numerous other such food products demand some means wherebythey may be kept in their chilled condition for a considerable period oftime.

Comparatively recently there has come upon the market a product whichconsists of solid carbon dioxide and is quite enerally known as dry ice.r1his chemical is solidified at a very low temperature and remains in asolid state for a period ranging from 12 to 24- hours. The obviousadvantages ot such a product over the conventional ice which hasheretoforebeen used brought this product into extremely wide commercialusage. Various methods of utilizing it in o the sale of food articles topreserve them in their original state have been developed.

' The product is usually sold in ordinary paper bags which is depositedin to the food articles to be chilled.

An object of my invention is to enable the vendor of such articles asabove enumerated to retainhis food articles in a chilled conditionthroughout a long period by usproximity ing this dry ice, or even by useof ordinary ice, by providing a simple, compact, and

ice cream cones,

in the fact that away for the sake of clearness,

1930. Serial No. 448,587.

roony dispensing contain-er Vwhich is provide with a distinct container,which is substantially smaller than the dispenser unit, secured to theclosure member of the dispenser and adapted to hold the refrigeratingproduct. Means are provided`l for automatically closing the interior ofthe smaller container from exposure to the outer atmosphere upon removalof the closure member from the container body, and for opening the samewhen the closure is inserted.

e means associated with the closure member, which is adapted to contain'the refrigerating product, also comprises means whereby the degree ofexposure may be regulated In this way the refrigerating qualities ofwhatever product is used in the small closure container may be preservedthroughout a longer period of time than would be possible if the saidproduct was exposed to the warm atmosphere each time the closure of thedispensing container was removed for the purpose of permitting removalof some of the food products contained therein.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a dispensingcontainer unit which is inexpensive to manufacture and of sturdyconstruction. A meritorious feature resides the container comprisesspaced apart walls, the space constituting an air insulation wall whichprotects the food products within the container from the surroundingatmosphere to a certain extent.

- Still further objects and meritorious features of my invention will beapparentfrom the followmg description taken in conjunction with the-drawing wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout theseveral figures and wherein: l

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the center .of my dispenser,

Fig. 2 is a plan view with parts broken Fig. 3 is a detail of theclosure unit with therefrigerating product container in 'its closedposition, and.

. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line- 4-4 of Fig. 1.

The outer, covering 10 of my dispenser may consist of any desirablematerial which will constitute a satisfactory skin covering Vand in thepreferred embodiment herein illustrated I have used corrugatedcardboard. The structural skeleton consists of a plulrality of woodencross pieces 12 which form a rectangular framework about which there isan inner covering 14 of wood liber board. While I mention wood fiberboard as constituting a possible material it should be understood I donot limit myself to any particular material.

An inner lining structure 16, of some such material as cork, issupported in longitudinal channels formed in the frame members 12 asillustrated and within this inner lining is set the metal receptacleportion 18 which holds the various products which are to be dispensed.It will be noted that there is an air space 20 between the cork innerlining and the fiber board outer lining which is of material assistancein protecting the products within the container from the surroundingatmosphere.

There is an opening 22 in the top of the container which is designed tobe closed by my improved closure member. This closure member consists ofa wood stopper piece 24 to the peripheral edge of which is secured, bycementing or otherwise, a soft rubber contact strip 26. This ismanifestly for the purpose of providing a stopper which is rigid anddurable while at the same time flexible around its outer periphery sothat it may be fitted tightly into the opening 22 of the container. Afurther purpose in utilizing a rigid stopper body material will bebrought out hereafter.

Secured to the lower portion of the outer periphery of stopper 24 bymeans of screws 28, or any other convenient securing means, is adepending cup shaped member 30 which is designed to hold therefrigerating product to be used fin conjunction with the dispenser.Obviously the cup shaped member 30 may be 'made as large or as small asdesired for the specified purpose. The peripheral walls of this`depending member 30 are provided with`a plurality of Vopenings 32-whichpermit exposure of the refrigerating product contained therein to theinside of the dispensing container.

A sleeve 34 extends axially through the center of the stopper member 24and functions as a guide bearing for the control unit 36, which consistsof a knob and a shaft 38 extending through the sleeve 34. To the innerextremity of this shaft 38 is secured an inverted cup shaped member 40which has no bottomand which is designed to slide or telescope withinthe member 30. This telescoping cup 40 is provided with a plurality ofopenings 42- which correspond in size and shape to the openings 32 andare adapted, when the member 40 is raised to its uppermost position bypulling on control um't 36, to move out o aligment with the saidopenings 32. In this position the space within the cup shape member 30is obviously completely shut off from exposure to the surroundingatmosphere and it will be noted that when the closure member is removedby pulling upon control unit 36 the relatively movable units 30 and 40are automatically placed in this closed position. On the other hand whenthe closure member is inserted and the control unit 36 pushed into itsnormal position wherein it rests upon the stopper member 24 the innercup shaped member 40 will move downwardly to a position where theopenings 32 and 42 are in alignment with one another, thereby exposingthe contents'of the closure member to the inner portion of thedispensing container. l

It will be understood that there is suicient frictional contact betweenkthe sleeve 34 and shaft 38 to retain the shaft in any position withinthe sleeve, thus permitting simple adjustment of the size of the openingin the closure container.

A guide pin 44 is provided in the cup shaped member 30 which extendsinwardly through a longitudinal slot 46 in cup shaped member 40. y

,As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 a supporting strap 48 may be secured tothe dispensing container in any desired manner, being held down in theillustrated embodiment by the bar strap member 50 which is riveted tothe outer casing ofthe container as illustrailed.

The refrigerating product, such as ice or solid carbon dioxide, may beinserted within the closure member through the aligned openings 32 and42 if desired. However, it is obvious that various other provisionsmight be made for this operation, as for instance, threading on thebottom of cup shaped member 30.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that when the closureis removed by pulling on the control unit 36 the container carried bysaid closure member is automatically shut off from the exposure to thesurrounding atmosphere. tion of the closure member the natural procedureis to push the control unit into engagement with the stopper portion 24Awhich functions to once again open the container so that therefrigerating product contained therein will be exposed to the productscontained in the dispensing unit. While I have illustrated va certainpreferred embodiment of my invention I do not intend to be limited otherthan by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a dispensing unit having an opening, a closuremember com- On reinser- Y sertion into said opening, a dependingreceptacle secured to said stopper portion and having openings therein,means slidable within said receptacle and adapted to open and close saidopenings, and means operable to automatically actuate said slidablemeans upon removal and insertion of said stopper. 2. In combination witha dispensing unit vhaving an opening therein, a closure for the openingincluding a receptacle portion adapted to extend within the dispensingunit when positioned in said openin and having passages providing accessto t e interior of 'said unit, means for opening and closing saidpassages, and means extending through said closure member for removingand replacing the same associated with said passage closing means insuch a manner that removal of the closure automatically closes.

the passages and replacement thereof opens the same. o 3. In combinationwith a dispensing unit having an opening therein, a closure member forthe opening including a receptacle portion adaptedto contain arefrigerant, openings in said receptacle portion providing communicationbetween the interior of the dispensing unit and the refrigerant means:for opening and closing said openings, and means vconnected with Saidlast mentioned means and extending through the closure member adapted tobe grasped by the dispenser in removing and replacing the closure memberwhereby the receptacle portion is automatically opened when the closureis in place and closed when it is removed. Y

In testimony whereof, I, THOMAS A. PRENDERGAST, sign this specification.

THOMAS A. PRENDERGAST.

